The effects of climate change on health are receiving increasing attention as a central concern for policy makers and the public. Human beings are already exposed to short and long term health risks of climate variability and change. Climate-sensitive diseases and health conditions today kill millions. They include malnutrition, which causes over 3.5 million deaths per year, diarrhoeal diseases, which kill over 1.8 million, and malaria, which kills almost 1 million. Climate change threatens to increase these disease burdens and erode the environmental conditions that support good health and well-being of mankind.

In compliance with this mandate from the health community, WHO is committed to strengthening:

Its scientific, normative and policy development functions,

Its operational programmes (e.g. combating infectious disease, improving water and sanitation services and hygiene practices, and providing health support in emergencies), and

Its support to Ministries of Health and other health actors throughout the world.